Beyond the Known Universe
by Deceiver of Night
Summary: Unhatched Val was kidnapped and the traces are leading to the other world. Lina and the others will have to deal not only with the unexpected and unknown but also with their own weaknesses and emotions. Somewhere in there may lay a hope for Zel's cure. Mostly Amelia/Zelgadiss (as much as Zel's character can be not too ooc in terms of romantic relationships) with slight Lina/Gourry.
1. Prologue

**A/N**: I know that the motive of kidnapped Val isn't very unique, as well as the travelling through other of the four universes that Lord of Nightmares created. But even then, every story is different. Especially that in this story Amelia and Zel would be main characters. And especially that despite my attempt to write adventure/mystery story I'm getting rather romance/mystery/adventure story (I hope that this mystery/adventure is there).

Ah, and to be clear: I do **not** own Slayers, all credits belong to Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi.

_Prologue_

**T**here is something disturbing in the storm breaking through the darkest of the nights.

Like the nature itself is crying and yelling over something truly horrible that has- or would happen. And the darkness lightens only for a fraction of second, just to amplify the feeling of surrounding void for the rest of the time. There is only the noise of pouring rain and thunders, while every living thing waits in expectation. Bad news like to come in the night like this.

It's all right like that anyway – it's expected.

Worse, when the bad news come in the bright, lovely day and stab the unsuspecting receiver straight to the heart.

* * *

**I**t was a beautiful morning in Seyruun.

About a week ago the real spring had finally erupted, flooding the whole kingdom with freshness and sun. The nature was blossoming, repeating the sacred ritual that lasted from time immemorial.

Amelia opened the window and took a deep breath. She couldn't help smiling, looking at the world so full of live. She felt like the warm rays of sun were filling her with the same energy she had got while travelling with her friends. The overwhelming sense of freedom.

Not for long, though.

She looked at the pile of letters that were waiting for being read. Typical morning duty. Reading and replying all the letters till lunch. Then helping in the Temple of Flare Dragon Ceiphied or in infirmary, when she was needed there. After that, she was assisting her dad with all diplomatic meetings during the dinner. If she finished her job with letters or her duty in the temple, she would have a free evening. But then again, if not – she had to catch up before going to sleep.

The schedule was rather stiff and boring and absolutely opposite to the popular beliefs about princesses' life. Amelia's daily routine occasionally changed, when Seyruun's royal family was throwing a party, as a princess, she had to participate. It was always nice to change usual clothes into fancy dress and dance – despite the protocol, while dancing she was able to catch some useful information about her friends from time to time. Although official parties were always hedged around with diplomatic rules, which at least took half of the fun from it.

This morning Amelia decided to start her work with positive energy. She let the fresh air into the room, while she took a seat at the large desk. Spring filled the room with birds' chirping and warm sun rays. Humming under her breath the princess picked up first envelope.

The letter was long and it was concerning the trade agreement between Kingdom of Seyruun and Kingdom of Zephilia. Amelia took a plain parchment and noted all conditions Kingdom of Zephilia wanted to negotiate, she would pass it on to her daddy at lunch. A small smile appeared on her lips, when she was thinking about the neighbour kingdom. It was a birthplace of Lina Inverse, no wonder that soon her thoughts were wandering towards the certain sorceress and her self-proclaimed guardian.

She missed them so much.

It was hard to say when she had seen them last time, since her days were looking mostly the same, they merged into one, boring day or week or maybe longer. Time seemed to slip by her grasp without noticing.

Amelia lifted her head and looked at the opposite wall with slight shocked expression. Her hand ran through her hair, it hit back the air quicker than usual, which was still surprising her. She didn't get used to her hair being so short to reveal all her neck. She had to cut it due to tradition and that meant one thing - Amelia was already twenty. She hadn't seen her friends for three years.

Actually she hadn't seen Lina and Gourry for three years. Zelgadis had been paying short visits... often. Of course, usually he was doing researches in Seyruun's libraries, but they always had some time to talk.

Once in a blue moon Amelia received the letters from Lina or Zelgadis. Perhaps that was the reason why she preferred her morning work to others. She kept all of their letters in her room and was reading them over and over again. Lina's letters were always raising her spirit, especially when she really had a bad day. Usual arguments between the sorceress and her companion were mostly centred in their fights about food or about Gourry's bad memory. But Amelia was good with reading between the lines and she was pleased to see how many warm feeling Lina had towards Gourry. Too bad that they still didn't act with them.

Letters from Zelgadis were different. They always started very formally, but by the end Amelia had known all Zelgadis' fears and worries related to the new lead. He also was easy to read between the lines and that actually made her upset, because every time she was finding out how tired of this he already was. In her replies she was always trying to comfort him, encouraging him to not give up, even if it was breaking her heart. She wished so much to write to him to come back, or to be more precise to just come to Seyruun and settle down somewhere nearby, but she knew that he wouldn't be happy here. As long as there would be '_what ifs_' he wouldn't be happy anywhere.

"Argh." Amelia cursed under her breath. She was supposed to work on trade agreement, instead she was caught up in her thoughts. Recently it happened to her more often, but the worst part of it was that every time her thoughts wandered off, she mentally began to suffocate by this golden cage she was locked in. It really was a bad thing. Amelia couldn't recall is she ever was thinking about her own kingdom that way.

Shoving off her thoughts and feelings, Amelia got back to the letter. The parchment was being filled with her round handwriting, slowly but without any more breaks under the encouraging hum of the melody that was Amelia's own creation.

Two hour later half of the pile vanished, although the number of parchments with notes and diplomatic replies visibly increased. By that time, Amelia's eyes caught a glint of the light blue among white, grey and brown. A light blue envelope... Her heart started to beat faster. It was such a long time when she had seen the envelope coloured like this. Two years or maybe one and a half.

She pulled the envelope closer to her eyes, to examine it more carefully. If it was that what she had thought it was...

The address was written in very pleasant handwriting – what a disappointment! For a moment Amelia was thinking that maybe Gracia had written to them. Her sister was writing rather regularly, but not very often. And although she liked to send letters in sparkling blue envelopes, her handwriting was always very messy, and the letter hardly ever was that thin. This one clearly wasn't from her.

Amelia looked at the other side of envelope. There was a seal and it resembled something, but she couldn't quite catch what it was.

It was sink or swim. The princess picked up the paper knife, and opened the envelope. The paper inside was small, and thick. It looked a bit like the one that was been using to make invitations, but the short message that it contained was far from the official matter.

'_Please, help! Val was kidnapped!_'

And then a signature: _Filia Ul Copt_.

It took Amelia exactly eleven seconds to start to breathe again. She clenched the letter in her fist and run. According to her knowledge, her father should be in his study right now. She had to tell him. This was a serious matter. She knew that if it was only about Filia, her father would probably hire Lina and Gourry to do the job. But there was a baby involved, and he just had to let Amelia to handle the situation alongside Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis.

Whoever did this to Filia and poor Val, needed to taste the hammer of justice, and Amelia was going to make sure that it would happen...

The questions were rising in her head while she was running through the corridor. Who could kidnap Val? Why? Would unhatched dragon be safe in hands of some stranger?

And the most important – How long did it take to reach Filia's place?

* * *

"**I** don't think it's real." said Lina, reading the short letter over and over again.

The letter had come during the meal, and it had almost been destroyed in the feverish battle over the chicken leg. There had been only five words inside (and the signature), but contrary to Amelia, Lina had become rather suspicious.

She shook the letter in front of Gourry, who seemed to be surprised by her hesitation.

"Look jellyfish brain, everybody can send us a letter signed as Filia, just to drag us into the trap." Lina explained, massaging her temples demonstratively.

"But who would do something like that?" Gourry asked with a serious face.

"Do you want me to make a list?" Lina muttered with annoyance.

"But Lina, all of them are already dead." he noticed happily.

Lina sighed. There was some logic in his words, but considering everything that happened to them, it was clear that eliminating one of their enemies always created the new ones, which only made this list longer and longer.

"So, do we believe in that letter or not?" asked Gourry after a while.

"I'd rather not... But..." she couldn't make the decision "why just we don't find Filia and ask?" she clasped her hands in fists and grinned happily. That was the best solution she could come with.

"Wouldn't it be just... answering the letter, then?" Gourry scratched the back of his head in confusion.

Lina looked at him with annoyance.

"Going and helping would be answering the letter. But we will try to find out who's behind it! Can't you see the difference, you jellyfish brain?!" she shouted.

"Uhm..." he looked at her seriously. "Not much."

One hit in the head with a slipper later Lina and Gourry were on their way. Ready for a new adventure, gold and good meals.

* * *

**T**here was one person, who never got the letter.

Someone, who travelled farther than the simple messenger could get. Ironically, in one moment, he would be the closest one, to rip the wave of strange events in the bud.

But unfortunately, Zelgadis was unaware of it.


	2. Chapter 1 - Over Mazoku Barrier

**A/N:** Not much happened in the last chapter, obviously, since it was just the introduction. I just want to make a note about it though. Although the prologue had gone through several drafts it was in just the 'last minute' thing that I decided that Zelgadis was not only writing to Amelia but was visiting her once in a while. I just thought that even being a loner, Zelgadis developed a pretty nice friendship with Amelia and well... I thought that he should have a place to come when he was tired of going into dead ends, and wanted to take a fresh start and look for some new leads. Three years of separation might be too long, even if they were writing to each other, but short visits should keep things between them on, at least, the same level.

Second thing I want to write about is the cover I've given this story. See when it came to Amelia's short hair, I imagined her in a way I've seen in a wonderful drawing once. She looked so beautiful there that I decided to follow this in the story. The drawing was made by **Eugene Chung **and can be found under the link that is posted in my profile site. I want to thank her for the permission to use it anyway. Of course original is better since I just copy the princess using mouse, lines and brushes, but I'm not good with that so it's better to check the original picture, it's marvellous. On the other hand, Zelgadis was taken from his manga version. I just loved the way he was drawn.

And third, very important thing is that I do _not_ _own_ Slayers. If I was, I think I would never do as wonderful job as Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi with creating the world, characters and their images.

Chapter 1

_Over Mazoku Barrier_

**A**melia stopped the horse.

Another crossroad. She sighed and pulled out the map. It was more the sketch than a proper map, but during her week and half long travel it had become very helpful.

Her daddy really had done a great job with organising the whole trip in that short period of time. When Amelia had gotten to the port on that side of the dessert, she had taken the horse and rushed forward without any assistance that could slow her down. It was kind of against her father's wish, but at this point she was already able to take care of herself.

"Right. The road to the left." Amelia answered herself, looking at the map with determination.

She was about to turn to the road on the left, when...

"GET BACK HERE AND TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!"

Amelia shuddered. The wild shriek that came from around the bushes sounded oddly familiar. And as if to make her sure, that her suspicions were correct, Amelia saw the spell she would recognise everywhere. It was a good thing that the spell was aimed in a different angle and she could be safe while observing when the powerful _Dragon Slave_ spell was blowing some bandits off.

"Lina-san!" Amelia was on her feet, running towards the source of rambling.

First what she saw was very angry red head sorceress, who was trying to chase those who managed to escape the dragon slave wrath, and the blond swordsman who was trying to stop her. Partially he managed, since one of his hands seemed to touch the wrong place, and Lina's anger turned towards him. He was saved from being bitten to the pieces by very enthusiastic princess, who hugged Lina tightly. Poor sorceress was unable to move.

"A-Amelia?" Lina seemed to be rather surprised.

"Lina-san, I'm so happy to see you! I was so worried that you haven't got my message." Amelia breathed out, and let go of Lina to hug her companion instead. "Gourry-san, I'm glad to see you too!"

"Hello, Amelia." Gourry greeted her with a smile, returning her hug.

Seeing Lina's rather unamused look, Amelia released Gourry quickly.

"You're taller than me." Lina noticed, taking a better look at the princess. "And what happened to your hair?"

Amelia smiled sheepishly, brushing her hair with her hand. "It's a tradition." she said, blushing slightly, which made Lina to wonder what was so embarrassing in that statement. Seeing the questioning look that sorceress was sending her, Amelia elaborated. "Unmarried woman can't wear long hair after she turns twenty. It's very old custom in Seyruun."

"Well. It actually does look good on you." Gourry noticed.

"Thank you for the compliment, Gourry-san." Amelia bowed, throwing very uncertain look at Lina. The sorceress only shrugged.

"Anyway... What does bring you here? Weren't you doing very important, royal things in Seyruun? Do you realise how far from your homeland is this place?"

"Errm... Which question should I answer first?"

"I'd start with the last one." Gourry advised. "But I already forgot the first four."

_WHACK_

"There were only two first questions, you jellyfish brain!" Lina rolled her eyes. "Just tell us what are you doing here, Amelia?"

"Don't you know, Lina-san?" Amelia looked at her sorcerer's friend with a puzzled look. "I just couldn't stay at home doing nothing, while that tragedy happened to Filia-san." Her voice became harder, indicating, that she already got into the _justice mode_. "How can some heartless kidnapper take something as innocent as unhatched dragon from someone as pure and just as Filia-san?! But the law isn't blind and he'd be punished. And I, Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun will make sure that those villains would face the justice just as they deserve! ..."

"It means that you also got the letter." Lina cut through Amelia's speech when the princess made a break for catching her breath. She started to pick up her belongings while Amelia was talking, not actually paying too much attention to the youngest girl's words. First part of them already told Lina all she needed to know, but it was better to stop Amelia before she would get so worked up that she wouldn't be able to babble about anything else.

Some of her things were scattered in quite big radius... Stupid bandits! Lina picked up something that looked like a very dirty, blue string. "Aww... look my lucky charm got burned to crisp." she complained.

Amelia blinked, looking at the remnants of the charm that Lina was holding. The sorceress shrugged and threw it out, stretching herself. She was looking pretty serious already.

"Have you been considering the option that this letter could be a trap?" she asked Amelia. "Something that had to lure all of us in one place."

"This thought crossed my mind once or twice during my journey." the princess admitted. "But it doesn't change a thing. I don't see any valuable reason for setting a trap for us, to be honest."

Lina sighed and started to walk, explaining all her suspicions.

"You can be so naïve sometimes, Amelia. We've got a lot of enemies." she noticed matter-of-factly. "And from since you've been hanging with us, I'm afraid that you too."

Amelia cringed. Personally she didn't like that thought, but even she knew that it was impossible to be liked by everybody. Especially while travelling with Lina. She had an amazing skill to be loved or hated wherever she had appeared. And mostly it was rather the second case, since she had been leaving rather... painful impression. Still for all those times when Lina had saved the world, she should be forgiven for one or two blown taverns.

"I know that much." the princess clarified. "I just don't see a purpose of setting up a trap for us just now. What I mean, Lina-san, we haven't travelled together for years. If this enemy is someone we've met earlier, why was he waiting for so long? If he's someone you've met recently, there would be no reason for dragging me into this."

"Yes, it seems logical." Lina nodded. "But there are types who don't handle logic so much." she noticed.

"This also is true." Amelia had to agree. "But well, the only way to find out is just go to meet Filia and ask." the princess smiled.

Lina smiled back, although the sorceress' smile was more threatening than cheerful.

"There is no other way to know who's behind it, right?" she kind of repeated Amelia's statement. "Besides, running away without the answers isn't my style."

Gourry who was walking calmly next to Lina, now decided to add a little bit of something. "Actually I would say it's pretty much your style, just..."

_WHACK_

"Listen, buddy." Lina muttered in a low, threatening voice. "I never run."

Gourry massaged the lump on his head. She must hit the wrong spot because instead of shutting up, Gourry tried to explain all his doubts. "But Lina, we were running away plenty of..."

_WHACK WHACK_

A perfect knock out. Gourry found himself pinned to the ground before he even saw that Lina's fist had been coming.

"We weren't running away, you idiot!" she yelled angrily. "It was a strategic retreat! And I was always doing it _after _getting the answers..."

Amelia's eyes were saying '_Or after finding out how strong the enemy is, not carrying about the answers_', but she didn't dare to open her mouth.

When Gourry managed to collect himself back, Lina got back to the main subject. They already reached Amelia's horse, and now the poor animal was loaded with all their belongings, following the group right next to Amelia.

* * *

**S**oon the three travellers found themselves in the nearest city. It was getting late, and they decide to stay there for the night and set off a journey the first thing in the morning.

After leaving their things in the inn, Lina and Gourry dragged Amelia to find some food. A decent looking tavern that was luring them with some promising, delicious smells, was lying very close to their inn, and they decided to not wander around too much.

Lina made rather impressive entrance. Just after crossing the door, she loudly demanded the big table and everything from the menu. A pretty scared waiter bowed to her politely, guiding her to the largest table in the room... Amelia suspected that it was predicted for a family with at least twelve kids, and grandparents. But Lina only nodded with approval, and not bothering with opening the menu card, she ordered everything edible.

While they were waiting for their meals, Amelia decided to take a look at the map. She stretched the sheet of paper flat in the tabletop, and looked for the town they were in.

"Hey, I wasn't aware that we've already travelled this far." noticed Lina with contentment, when she took a look at Amelia's map.

The expression of happy ignorance on Lina's face made Amelia to shiver in horror. "Wait, Lina-san? Don't tell me that you don't have a map. Do you?"

"What for?" Lina answered carelessly.

"How could you travel without it? You wouldn't even know if you were walking in the proper direction." Amelia pushed, questioning her senses. With that attitude how it was possible that they three had even met today?

"I don't need a map. I've got a women's intuition." Lina answered, patting Amelia's back reassuringly.

"Come on, Amelia. Do you really believe, that having the _Dragon Slave_ spell, Lina couldn't get the information she needed?"

_SLAM_

"You make me to look violent on purpose!" she yelled, wielding her infamous slipper.

Amelia blinked, looking at Gourry who was massaging his forehead. These two would never change.

He definitely got the message this time, since he waved his hands in the air, trying to calm down his travelling partner.

"Oi, Lina. I was saying that we were _asking_ for directions."

"That too!" she agreed. "But my guessing was always correct." she added firmly and the turned her attention to Amelia's map.

"Geez, that's pretty rough." she commented, pointing at the roads that were drawn with the ink. "It doesn't look like printed by the Cartography Institute."

"I swear Lina-san, your memory is getting as bad as Gourry-san's."Amelia shook her head with disbelief. "Don't you remember how Zelgadis-san was making it on our way back home, after that fight with Dark Star?"

Lina shrugged.

"Well how could I remember? You guys were constantly lagging, I wasn't paying attention on what you were doing." she answered with a shrug. And then she smiled mischievously. "I thought it was safer that way." she teased.

Amelia's cheeks flushed, but then she caught the meaning of Lina's words. She remembered their journey back very well. Zelgadis had been really trying to do proper calculations that had allowed him to mark their position on the map with very good precision. But it had required some time, and Amelia had been keeping him company, not wanting him to be alone for all that time. Besides she had preferred the calm conversations with Zelgadis than wild fights over the food with Lina and Gourry... Not to mention she had really liked to spend her time with Zelgadis... And he had taught her some of those very useful methods of setting the position using the altitude of the Sun and the tables of the declination of the Sun.

But Lina had been nagging them to pick up the pace all the way back, impossible that she hadn't noticed how they had been working on the map.

Although it was safer not go into the details so much.

"The map may not be perfect, but it _is_ very helpful." she insisted, defending their friend's navigating skills.

Lina nodded reconcilable.

"I wonder if Zelgadis-san also got Filia-san's letter." Amelia added after a short while of silence.

Lina flashed her really knowing smile.

"I bet you are." she said grinning teasingly. "But you don't have to worry... WELL HELLO!"

The last two words, exclaimed in such loving way, were directed towards the first dish that the waiter just brought them. Before Amelia understood the change of the subject, Lina already claimed half of the meal for herself.

"Hey, I'm hungry too!" Amelia shouted, ready to fight teeth and nails for just a piece of food.

With Gourry and Lina it wasn't easy to satisfy the hunger. She mentally chuckled. Somehow fighting for food helped her to develop her speed and reflex better than any training.

* * *

"**I**f it's a trap, the answers probably won't be complicated." Lina picked the most concerning subject, when the pile of empty plates and bowls was already taken back to the kitchen.

Between the moment Amelia had stated she hadn't exactly believed in the '_trap_' option and Lina questioned sanity of their enemy and the moment when Lina brought the subject back, the princess had a plenty of time to think this over once again. She got her own conclusions and immediately she knew what was on Lina's mind.

"You mean that the reason would probably be a revenge." she guessed. "And probably from someone close to the person, who, our four or more, managed to kill."

Lina nodded.

"But if it really was Filia and if Val really was kidnapped..." Lina looked at Amelia and Gourry with rather uncertain look. "I can't guess who could be behind it."

"Why did someone want to kidnap Val-chan?" Amelia asked with a worry. "Do you think that someone can hold a grudge against unhatched baby, or against Filia-san?"

Lina shook her head.

"I doubt it's strictly about Filia. If it is, we also will be involved. Every fight Filia was involved into, contained us as well. So I don't think that she is the only target."

Amelia sighed, but then her eyes fired up, while the princess stomped her foot on the tabletop hardly, and pointed somewhere above.

"Lina-san, we can't let anyone hurt Val-chan now, when he's unable to defend himself! What kind of monster would kidnap the baby that didn't hatch yet?! It's so unjust! We must..."

"Calm down, Amelia." Lina mumbled with embarrassment, tugging her mantle down. "People are staring at us."

"Come down, Amelia." Gourry pleaded. "You know, that the last thing Lina can deal with is embarrassment. You don't want to put us into that situation, do you? I'm hoping we can eat the breakfast here, and if Lina blow up this place..."

Gourry was smiling friendly to Amelia, hoping she would understand. Amelia was watching him with wide eyes, but she did seat back on her chair. She threw a really uncertain look at Lina, who was still too shocked to move.

"Uhm... Gourry-san, I think that it's high time for you to get to your room." she said sympathetically, noticing that Lina's shocked expression started to change into anger. "It's really a good advice." she added trying to convince him.

"Huh? Why?" he asked looking at her with puzzled expression.

It was already too late. Lina angrily grasped him by the neck from behind, trying to plunge her knee into his back painfully. "What's wrong with you today?!" she yelled in the process. "You keep complaining on me all of the day!"

"But Lina... I didn't... mean it... this way!" Gourry protested in moments when he was able to catch his breath.

"Lina-san, please." Amelia intervened, trying to separate those two. "I'm sure Gourry-san wasn't complaining. It was an admiration."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Lina didn't seem to buy it. "I can see the difference between complement and complain."

Amelia decided to be radical. She hit the tabletop with her fists.

"Stop it already! We should discuss some serious matter, there is no time for that foolishness!"

Lina dropped Gourry immediately. But it was the only part of Amelia's plan that worked. The look that the sorceress sent her, that one that promised a lot of pain, made Amelia to gulp. She wondered how the heck Zelgadis was doing it without being targeted back.

Fortunately, Lina's twisted sense of humour was on Amelia's side. Instead of beating the foolish princess, Lina decided otherwise.

"I bet Zel would be _so_ proud of you." she winked, getting back on her seat. "You almost sounded like him. Just less gloomy. We get back to the serious conversation, but I warn you both. If you don't have anything worth to say, stay shut. Understand?"

That sounded threatening enough that both of them, though sure that they hadn't been saying anything unworthy to say before, nodded with agreement.

"If we consider that Filia's letter was real, I will have only one guess about it all." Lina said surely. "Someone kidnapped Val to get the revenge on the ancient dragon race."


	3. Chapter 2 - Traces

**A/N: **New chapter before longer break, I think.

I do not own anything that has copyrights, trademarks and... what was the third thing...? Anyway most of all I do not own Slayers, no matter how much I wish I do – they're all Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi's.

Chapter 2

_Traces_

**Z**elgadis Greywers wasn't a very happy man right now.

To be honest, he was hardly ever described as 'happy', but sometimes he was just less unhappy then he was right now.

It had been three weeks when he had come to Ryouma city, and still he didn't get much further than he had been three weeks ago. Looking for his cure, that he wasn't even sure existed, he had travelled far to the South. The world outside Mazoku Barrier was rather boring, and non-magical, but even in that magically deserted terrain, Zelgadis had been able to find some real pearls.

Like the strange chest he had found in the Misty Mountains' tower. Some powerful sorcerer had built that place. Even after his death it had been protected with very powerful traps. And deathly dangerous. If Zelgadis had been aware of their real nature, he would have never put a foot in this place. The whole tower had been screaming "Mazoku" from the first look, but then again, it had only given him more hope for finding the solution of his problem. The only thing he had found though, was the small wooden chest, with no keyhole, protected with strong magic spells that had been preventing him from opening it.

And there had been the Holy Temple just in the middle of tricky marshland. He had been able to levitate over it only for half of the way, since the rest of the place had been surrounded by the anti-magic field. For him it hadn't been that safe to travel through the bog, considering that one false step could have finished badly. He was pretty heavy anyway.

He still wasn't able to tell who the temple belonged to and who had been celebrated there before it had been abandoned. But he had found there a lot of rooms with the walls covered in some unknown writing. He had spent there a month, copying every symbol, just in case someone would recognise the language and be able to help him to read it.

And now he had found the third wonder. But contrary to the two he had been in before, this one wasn't deserted - The Earthlord Rangort's Sanctuary. Unfortunately the golden dragons who were guarding this place, weren't especially friendly. On the other hand it wasn't like he expected them to be. Thanks to the information he had gathered, he had been able to make the official note asking for the access.

Today he had got the answer, embroidered with golden thread on the silky cloth. He wasn't very good with reading the dragon's writing, even if they were writing in the common language, but what he got very well, was that at least they would allow him to visit the sanctuary. Within the two weeks period one of the guiding dragons would contact him setting the time and place of the meeting, in order to check if his intentions were as clear as he stated. Until then he had to wait.

Zelgadis sighed heavily. As much as he respected the carefulness, especially towards the strangers, he wasn't especially fond of the time it was all taking. But even having the permission in hand, Zelgadis had to wait. There was no other way to find the sanctuary without the guider.

* * *

"**S**omeone, who holds the grudge against the ancient dragon race..." Amelia quietly repeated Lina's words.

In the dim light of almost empty tavern, the princess quiet question sounded so sinister, that Lina and Gourry felt the cold, unpleasant shivers running through them. Lina shook herself free of that impression, and looked at Amelia.

"Oh, I don't know, Lina-san." Amelia's added doubtfully. "How many people do know that Valgaav-san was the last living ancient dragon, and that he died, was resurrected, and that now he's still an egg?"

Lina, who wasn't feeling so sure of her deductions right now, tried to defend her own thoughts.

"If not that, then who could kidnap him?" she muttered sneeringly.

"I don't know." Amelia shook her head, but she was really much into the subject, and she must think over it more than she looked. She lifted her gaze at Lina. "Valgaav-san wasn't especially social type." she suggested seriously.

"Yeah, even less than Zel." Lina nodded.

Amelia ignored her comment, knowing why the sorceress was bringing Zelgadis' name to the conversation so often. She tried not to blush, at least not too much, and keep her serious composure, for Filia's sake, and for poor Val.

"He rather wasn't especially carrying." she continued. "I'm sure that he might hurt someone who wants to get his revenge on him now."

Lina sighed with disappointment. Since when Amelia was so serious?

"As much as I like to agree with you, I doubt anyone survived Valgaav's wrath for long enough to even think about the revenge." the red head sorceress pointed.

"We did survive." Gourry noticed, happy that he could bring something into the conversation too.

"Idiot, none of us would do something like that!" Lina shouted. "I told you to stay shut if you weren't going to say something useful!"

"But what about Xellos?" Gourry wasn't giving up.

"Huh?" Lina and Amelia both looked at Gourry with surprise. Neither of them was even considered this possibility, but Gourry wasn't completely wrong.

First – all of them had witnessed the battles between Valgaav and Xellos. They had been pretty even, and Xellos hadn't been too happy because of that. Second, he was the one knowing that Valgaav had been resurrected as the ancient dragon Val again. Third, he wasn't especially fond of dragons... But if there was Filia in this equation, was it a factor was it making Xellos more suspicious or completely opposite?

"He wouldn't..." Amelia began uncertainly. "He quite liked Filia-san."

"Dream on." Lina muttered sarcastically. "Xellos is a Mazoku. They don't like anyone unless they're ordered to."

"Well I'm not so sure." Amelia insisted, she personally wasn't very fond of the self called '_mysterious priest_', but it was hard to ignore the number of times when he had been saving their necks. "I think that he does like us at least a little bit."

"Yeah." Lina groaned bitterly. "He likes _using _us to achieve his goals."

"But Xellos-san was fighting on our side few times." Amelia said stubbornly.

"He was, because those were his orders. Don't overestimate him Amelia! Xellos would sell his own mother, assuming that he had one, just to get what he wanted!"

"But he and Filia-san..." Amelia tried one more time. "They..."

"Amelia, quit that!" Lina rolled her eyes. "Whatever you may think about them being '_meant to each other over all adversities of fate_', dragon and mazoku will never work! Stop bringing up that stupid '_true love_' subject into the conversation. Not everything is about '_love_'." she huffed.

Amelia seemed to be a bit shocked and hurt with this outburst, but if there was one thing she couldn't tolerate, it was insulting the power of '_true love_'. She knew that Lina wasn't especially romantic type, but that wasn't any excuse.

"How could you, Lina-san?!" she reacted fiercely. "It's love that makes people better, that breaks the walls of prejudice and difference. Because of love people can find the strength to overcome their flaws, to never give up, and to draw the happiness from every day of their life. Love is making the world more beautiful, and changes the worst rainy day into the most wonderful one... You can pretend that you only believe in money, but I know that secretly you are also dreaming about true love."

"Geez... Amelia." Lina groaned. "Shut up already. Believe whatever you want, but at least don't try to drag me into this. And right now we need some logic, focus for a while."

Amelia's enthusiasm subsided a little at the remembrance about the situation they were going to deal with soon. She really was worried about Filia and Val. There were no needs to be distracted right now.

"Honestly." Lina mumbled under her breath. "I'm beginning to feel some respect for our Zel. He really has to have an enormous patience to you if hearing something like that, he still wants to hang out with you. Anyway..." her face brightened. She patted Gourry's back approvingly, thanks to what the poor swordsman hit the table. "Great work, Gourry."

Amelia, who felt pretty offended by Lina's last comment, rolled her eyes. As for the genius sorceress, she was really acting childish when it was about Gourry.

"Fine, Lina-san." she said amicably. "If it's Xellos-san, in which I don't believe, but we assume that it's him, how could we stop him?"

"I don't know." the sorceress sighed, but then she cheered up. "We'll think about it when we'll talk with Filia. If we set off at dawn, we'll get Filia's town tomorrow afternoon." she smiled to them.

Gourry and Amelia nodded.

"One of the better sides of argument with you Amelia is that I burnt so many calories, that I have a room for another dessert right now." she grinned. "Waiter!"

* * *

**L**ater that day, Amelia found herself standing on the balcony, looking at the full moon. It was still quite low, brushing the top of the trees on the horizon, and it still had the orange colour.

The princess smiled, remembering the time when Zelgadis had explained her why the sun and the moon had become so reddish while rising and setting. She wished he was with them now. She kept forgetting how hard dealing with Lina could be sometimes. And even if Zelgadis wasn't very fond of some subjects she was bringing up (just like Lina wasn't), he at least could make a nice, interesting conversation that didn't involve scolding, hitting and shouting. In time like this his cool mind would really be helpful.

She sighed.

She worried about him, no matter how great swordsman and how wonderful sorcerer he was. To make the matter worse, the last letter Amelia received from him had come about one and a half month ago. It was a mid-long message about finding some white magic temple that he had planned to explore, and short note about the next place he had wished to visit. He had been very far from Seyruun that time, and even if he had written more about the ruins, she hadn't been able to get the message before the departure. She at least hoped that this particular letter had been already waiting for her in Seyruun, it would mean that he had got back from the exploration of the temple safely.

"I hope you are all right, Zelgadis-san." she whispered to the wind.

* * *

**I**n the Ryouma city Zelgadis sneezed.

He rubbed his nose, feeling rather weird. He was usually immune for any kind of viruses, and the weather on the south was very warm and non-threatening in the terms of colds. But with a different climate it was always hard to say.

"I hope it's not the forecast of a cold." he sighed heavily and turned his attention back to the book he was studying.

Being stuck in this city had already made one benefit. While wandering around the town, Zelgadis had found the second-hand book store with a true gem inside. The author decided to analyse all regional languages and dialects, from the old days to the present time, when the local dialect were practically pushed out by the common language.

Out of the pure curiosity Zelgadis had compared the signs showed in the book with these ones he had copied in the Holy Temple, and to his surprise, he hadn't find even one symbol that would be similar... until he had reached the sketches in the most confusing chapter – the three dimensional script. Some sketches reminded the parts from the wall, and Zelgadis was reading this chapter really carefully, feeling more and more frustrated and confused with every page he had read.

The author, who had been analysing the origin of other dialects pretty scientifically in the previous chapters, in this one he had decided that the three dimensional script was a myth and a legend as much believable as the fairy tales.

Frustrated Zelgadis closed the book, and came to the window, hoping that some of fresh air, would help him with clearing his thoughts. He wished to be in Seyruun now, where he had an access to every library he wanted to visit. Maybe there he would find some reliable information about this three dimensional script.

Thinking about Seyruun made him... not exactly smile, but he at least felt less tired of this helplessness. He wondered how Amelia was doing. Maybe she just got his letter and was reading it now... He had to admit that he wasn't especially effusive in his letters, but he knew Amelia was worried, so he was writing to her quite regularly. Just to let her know that he was all right and to share his new leads with her. He usually tried to write more about facts, but with her replies she always managed to ease most of his worries and frustrations. Although he was damn sure that he didn't write a single word about his current concerns, yet she always knew.

So, he kept writing to her and he caught himself waiting for her answer more and more eagerly with every letter he sent.

_'Lina would laugh in my face if she knew.'_ he thought bitterly.

* * *

**T**he city was amazing. So full of life and in the same moment so peaceful. People were smiling; they were kind and polite, and really helpful. Though it wasn't as big as Seyruun, Monahomahia somehow resembled Amelia her home.

For a long minute, the princess felt nostalgic. But then Lina reminded her why they had come to this city in the first place, and Amelia got her spirit back. So enthusiastically that Lina started to question if she really shouldn't have better left her in that gloomily nostalgic mood.

"Come on, Lina-san. We had to find Filia-san's store." Amelia enthused, dragging Lina towards the market square. "Excuse me." she accosted some old woman. "I'm looking for the pottery store that is run by the tall, young, blond girl, dressed in priestess' clothes, can you help me?"

Lina watched how the woman was almost tearfully apologising that she wasn't able to help, since she didn't know the city so well. Amelia assured her that it was all right, and, to Lina's utter surprise, she and the old woman, stopped a young boy both asking the same question in the same time.

The boy was better informed and Lina smirked, listening to his guidance. If someone asked her, she would say that the best source of information were either kids or bandits. Kids – because they were wandering around the city for all their free time, getting a look into every single corner. Bandits, because every proper bandit had to be well informed about the local stores. But since no one was asking her, she could be observing Amelia's poor attempts to get the information.

Fortunately the boy really knew the city, leading them straight to the Filia's store. The pottery that could be seen by the shop window was so much in Filia's style, that there couldn't be any mistake.

The three of them sighed with relief.

Amelia pushed the door open. The annoying bell, at least in Lina's opinion, announced their arrival. But it wasn't Filia who came to meet them.

"Finally." said the voice of annoying fox. "Boss was hoping you'd come earlier."

Gourry watched Jillas with confusion. He really tried to remember how did Filia looked like, but that many things had happened since they had seen her last time, that he had only remembered the outlines. One thing he was sure it was that she had a tail... well the fox in front of them also had a tail, so probably that really was Filia. But she looked too boyish for a girl... Well he could always ask. Asking never hurt anyone.

"Is that Filia?"

_SMACK_

Apparently he forgot he was asking Lina.

"Think before you ask!" she yelled. "Haven't you heard Amelia's description from before, you jellyfish brain?! Or maybe that is how the tall, young, blond girl dressed in priestesses' clothes looks like in your world?!"

Gourry rubbed the sore spot on his head. The hit really was painful.

"I wasn't listening to the description." he admitted apologetically.

_SHWAP_

"I figured that much!"

"Lina-san, stop it." Amelia pulled Lina's sleeve, seeing Gourry's miserable look. She felt pity for the swordsman. Besides, Lina really should stop that, it was really, really bad habit. "We don't have time for this." she added uncertainly, when Lina glared at her threateningly. She turned to Gourry. "He's Jillas-san, Gourry-san."

"Oh, Jillas." Gourry smiled. "Who was he?"

"Argh... Stop fooling around, and pay attention at least for once!" Lina cried with frustration, but she prevented herself from beating Gourry more. "Where is Filia, you tricky fox?!"

As always Lina's glare matched the one she had on the wanted posters, it was impressive enough to make the poor Jillas to take a few steps back, before he even consider the answer.

"Boss went to look for the other boss." he informed.

It took a while before the sense of this information sunk to the three travellers.

"Ah, you mean that Filia-san is looking for Valgaav-san." Amelia smiled nicely.

"Isn't that what I said?" Jillas asked.

Lina waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Any clue, where could she go?"

"From the all information we've got, it looked that they took him South." Jillas informed solemnly. "The last place the suspicious stranger had been seen was... Ryouma city. Boss rushed this track."

"Ryouma city...?" Amelia asked quietly. She had a strange feeling that she had already heard this name somewhere.


End file.
